Reciprocating conveyer



June 14, 1949. D. c. CAMPION 2,473,193-

nn q'lrnocg'rme GONVEYER Filed Nov. 21, 1944 H0 VOLT EXPANIQN CHAMBER TcEXHAUST o ExnAvs'r /7 I 5 32 J1 iii. Iii

' Z 2 2s 60 I 1 5 INVENTOR.

Doha/a 6. Camp/an Patented June 14, 1949 UNITED .S TATE S PAT E NT-f;;O"F.F.l C E RECIPRGCATING CONVEYER Donald C. Campion, Detroit,-Mich., assignor to Loftus. Engineering Corporation, Pittsburgh,

Ta. a corporation of Maryland Application November 21, 1944,Seria1 No.564,477

19 Claims.

This invention relates to a shufile conveyor.

It is the object of this invention to produce a shufiie conveyor whichis 'eiiicient and-economical in operation.

The invention contemplates :in particular a conveyor that is adaptableformany uses and which-will handle or convey. a'widediversity of partsranging from paper clips to heavy forgings.

Another advantage of my conveyor is that when the conveyor is used, e.g.,.with'a heat treating furnace,'the driving parts can be'positionedwithout the furnace and away from the furnace heat so that they will notgethot.

My invention also contemplatesa shuifie conveyor whose ,speed can beaccurately timed and varied over. an .extremely wide range.

Fig. 1 of thedrawing shows my shufile conveyor with. the compressed aircircuit for operating th same andthe electrical circuit for timing andcontrolling the operation of the conveyor.

Fig. 2 shows a. modified-form of my shuflle conveyor.

My conveyor comprises a conveyor pan l which can. conveniently be asheet metal trough into whichthe work to be conveyed is lowered. The panIv is supportedupon bracket 2 which is fixed to piston rod 3. "Rod 3 is.fixed to piston 4 within cylinder 5. Piston rod 8 is fixed to piston lin cylinder 6. Bracket 2 is connected with bracket l2 fixed to cylinder5 by means .of a

toggle lever comprising links. 5- and it. Link ll]- is pivoted onbracket 2 as at l I. Link a is pivoted on stationary support 12 as atl3. Links 9 and ill are pivotally connected-together as at It. Link 9 isin the form of abell crank lever having a depending leg l5.

Compressed air under high pressure is supplied to cylinder 5-thr0ughlines l6, l1 and I8. Line I 8 is connected to a sourceof compressed airunder pressure (not shown). Line 13 is also connected to cylinder 5through line [9, expansion chamber 29 and line 2|. A pressure'reducingvalve 22:in: line 2| reduces "the; pressurcof compressed air fromline l8:aszit enters the expansion chamber. Cylinder 6 isconnected withcompressed air line :lathrough lines l1 and 23. Cylinder 6. is alsoconnected by line .M with the low pressur air in expansion chamber 26).Valve 25, controlled by solenoid 26, controls communication betweenlines l6 and I1. Valve 27, controlled by solenoid-28; controlscommunication between lines |1 and"23. Lines '29- and 30 are exhaustlines which are also controlled respecend of. its. backward. stroke.

switch 4 l line it, ..li-ne "2 switch 3| isconnected' into line 32 whichis connected to line IS.

The timingof the conveyor is controlled by a time delay relay 33 whichis arranged to open and close switch 35 at-regular timed intervals. Thetime interval between the opening and closing of switch 34 can bevaried. For illustrative purposes the-timeiclelay relay comprises aswitch 34 controlled by a solenoid -35; a flexible diaphragm 35connected by rodBl. to switch 3 3. Diaphragm 36' is mounted-in a closedhousing 38 which has a variable airbleedorifice '39 at atmosphere. Acompression spring (not shown) within housing 33 normally biases switch3 l' to open position.

It is, of course, understood that any suitable conventional time.del ayrelay can be used for timing the cycle ofoperation of my shuflleconveyor.

The operation of my 'shuflie conveyor is as follows: As stated above,the parts which are to beconveyed through aheat treating furnace oralong the course desired are J dumped into the left hand end of conveyorpan' l. Pan I is a reciprocating pan andis at the end of its right handor forward stroke. The operator closes switch 40 in th 110. volt linecircuit. After switch ill) is closed the operation of my shuffleconveyor. is entirely automatic. Limit switch M has been, closed bytripping member 42 when the conveyor. pan I. reached, the end of itsforward stroke. andswitch" all remains closed until it is opened by.member 42 when pan l reaches the With switch 4| closed, current-flowsthrough the volt circuit comprising lined-,3, switchiL'line M, solenoid35,

line .45, switch. wuandlineldfi. Solenoid 35 being energized closesswitche lrso that we now have current establishedin a: circuitcomprising line 31, switch 34, line .llihsolenoid 2.6,li-ne49, line 44,switch! andlineitt. Solenoid;.26-being energized, valve 2 5. ismovedtothe. position shown to connect lineslii and. .ikso .that.jair underhighpressure fiows.into.theright-hand end of cylinder..5. .However, togglgt,iii .is inrmade position so that piston 13 does not movebut remains inthe position shown until .theair. pressure builds up .in line- 32 .toclose pressiueactuated switch 3|.

Switch 3|...canbe 56:5.t0i6i958 at-whatever pres- .sure. desiredup .to.thepressureexisting in high 50.

pressure li ne.ll.8. When-switclrtlcloses, then current..fiows .inea.circuit comprising line 43, switoh...3l, line 5!, solenoid'28,..linel52,switch ii szlinehlii. This energizessolenoid' 128 so that valve. 27,. isshifted upwardly from 'the position shown. to. connect lines I1 and 23.As the pressure rises in cylinder 6 to the left of piston 1, piston '1moves to the right and acts through rod 8 and leg I of the toggle tobreak the toggle lever 9, I9, thereby permitting the air under highpressure in cylinder 5 to shift pan I to the left. Due to the highpressure existing in cylinder 5 to the right of piston 4, as soon astoggle 9, It is broken the air cylinder actually jerks pan 1 to the leftfrom under the work and the inertia of the work holds it in itsposition. The inertia of the work overcomes the friction between thework and pan i so that the work remains nearly stationary as the pan isjerked back. The low pressure air in cylinder 5 on the left hand side ofpiston 4 serves as a cushion for piston 4 at the end of the quickrearward stroke or jerk of pan I brought about by the action on piston 4of the air under high compression in the right hand end of cylinder 5.As soon as, or preferably slightly before, pan

1 reaches the end of its rearward or leftward stroke, switch M isbroken. This deenergizes solenoids 35, 2B and 28 thereb causing the timedelay relay 33 to immediately open switch 34. When solenoids and 28 aredeenergized, lines I6 and 23 are connected with their respective exhaustlines 38 and 29, exhausting the high pressure air from cylinders 5 andB. The low pressiue air in lines I9 and 24 now slowly moves or retractspiston I toward the left to retract rod 8 and slowly moves piston 4toward the right which through rod 3 and bracket 2 slides pan I slowlyforward or to the right in the direction of flow, as indicated by thearrow, carrying the load or work with it. As soon as pan I reaches theend of its forward or rightward stroke, switch H closes thereby againenergizing solenoid 35 which will close switch 34 immediately if airbleed 39 is wide open or which will close switch 34 after a time delaysufficient to permit the air to be bled from housing 38 through airbleed orifice 39 and the cycle above described repeats itself.

It is, of course, understood that as soon as line It is exhausted toatmosphere through pipe 30 that the pressure falls in line 32 andpressure switch 3| opens. When solenoids 25 and 23 are energized, linesi6 and 23 are connected with high pressure line H and when the solenoidsare deenergized, then lines I6 and 23 are cut off from high pressureline I! and exhausted to atmosphere. Since the pan is jerked quicklyfrom under the load for a distance equa1 to the length of the stroke ofpiston A and is then slid slowly forward carrying with it the load, theresult is that the load has moved along the conveyor pan in thedirection of flow a distance somewhat less than the length of the strokeof piston 4. The stroke of piston 4 can, of course, be varied. The timerequired for the work to pass the full length of the conveyor pan iscontrolled directly b the number of cycles operated per minute. Thetiming is controlled by the repeating time delay relay 33 which isadjustable to vary the number of cycles per minute.

If desired pistons 4 and I can each be returned slowly to their initialor starting position by means of springs 60, 61 which are either compressed as piston moves in a direction to break the toggle and as piston4 moves to the left or in counter direction to the flow of the work. Ifsprings are used for returning pistons 4 and I to their initialposition, then low pressure line 2|, chamber 20 and lines !9 and 24 willbe omitted.

I claim:

i .pan

1. A conveyor comprising in combination a pan upon which the work isplaced and along which the work is conveyed, means for moving said panforwardly in the direction which the work is being conveyed at arelatively slow speed so that the work moves with the conveyor, meansfor releasably latching said pan in its forward position, means in whichfluid pressure is built up after the pan completes each forward stroke,control means actuated after said fluid pressure is built up to suddenlyrelease said fluid pressure, means actuated by said released fluidpressure for moving said pan in the opposite direction at a relativelyfaster speed sufficient to jerk the pan from under the work whereby foreach cycle of operation comprising a forward and reverse movement of thepan the work is advanced a distance less than the stroke of the pan,said last mentioned means being inefiective to move the pan in theopposite direction while the pan is latched in its forward position andeffective to jerk the pan from under the work when the latching means isreleased.

2. A conveyor comprising in combination a upon which the work is placedand along which the work is conveyed, means for moving said panforwardly in the direction which the work is being conveyed at arelatively slow speed so that the work moves with the conveyor, togglemeans for releasably latching said pan in its forward position, meansfor moving said pan in the opposite direction at a relatively fasterspeed sufficient to jerk the pan from under the work whereby for eachcycle of operation comprising a forward and reverse movement of the panthe work is advanced a distance substantially equal to the stroke of thepan, said last mentioned means being ineffective to move the pan in theopposite direction while the pan is latched in its forward position bysaid toggle means and effective to jerk the pan from under the work whenthe latching means is released.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 including means for breakingsaid toggle means to release the pan for rearward movement.

4. A conveyor comprising in combination a pan upon which the work isplaced and along which the work is conveyed, means for moving said panforwardly in the direction which the work is being conveyed at arelatively slow speed so that the work moves with the conveyor, togglemeans for releasably latching said pan in its forward position, meansfor moving said pan in the opposite direction at a relatively fasterspeed sumcient to jerk the pan from under the work whereby for eachcycle of operation comprising a forward and reverse movement of the panthe work is advanced a distance slightly less than the stroke of thepan, said last mentioned means being ineffective to move the pan in theopposite direction while the pan is latched in its forward position bysaid toggle means and effective to jerk the pan from under the work whenthe latching means is released, and means for breaking said toggle meansto release the pan for rearward movement, and timing mechanism forcontrolling the cycle of operation of said toggle breaking means so thatthe toggle is broken and the pan retracted at predetermined intervals oftime.

5. A conveyor comprising in combination a pan upon which the work isplaced and alone which the work is conveyed, fluid pressure actuatedmeans for moving said pan forwardl in the direction which the work isbeing conveyed at a relatively slow speed so that-the work moves forwardstroke, control means "ac'tuat'ed a'fter said fluid pressure is built upto suddenly release said fluid pressure, and meansactuated-by saidsuddenly released-fluid pressure for moving-said "pan in theoppositddir'ection at a' relatively-faster speed sufiicient to jerk'-thepan 'fromunderthe -work whereby "for each' cycle or operationcomprising a forward and reverse movementpf-the panthe work isadvanced'a' dist'ar'rce substantially equal to the stroke of the-pan.

6. -A conveyor comprising in combination a pan upon whichthe'wvork isplaced and along -v'vhich the work is conveyedi 'fiuidpressure actuated1 means iorm'oving 'said- -pan forwardly" in the direction which thework is V being *conveyed at a relatively slow-speed sdthatthe'workmoves with the conveyor, mea-ns for relea-sably latchingsaid pan in its forward p'osition, means in which fluid pressure isbuilt upafter the pan completes each forwardstroke, eont'r'ol means'actuatedafter said fluid pressure--is'-'built-- up to'suddenly releasesaid fluid pressure, fluid-=prssure actuated means for movingsaid-1:anin'-"the oppoated means for moving said pari forwardly in thedirection which the work is beingconveyed-at a relatively slow speed sothatthe *workmoves-with the conveyor, a toggle for releasably' latchingsaid pan in its forward 'positiomm'eans for storing fluid underpressure, meansfOr-breaking said toggle to thereby release "saidpan"-'for rearward movement, and fluid pressure-actuated means"formoving said pan in theopposite direction at a relatively faster speedsufficient' to-je'rk 'the'pan from under the work whereby for'eachcycle-of operation comprising a forward and reverse movement of the panthe'wo'rkis advanced a'distance substantially equal to the strokeof thepan, said last mentioned means being inefiecti-ve' tomove the'p'an inthe opposite directi'onwhile the pan is latched in its forward positionand suddenly effective upon release'of said-fluid under pressure to jerkthe pan from'und'er the Work when the toggle is released.

8. The combination as set forth'in claim 7 including another fluidpressure actu'atedmeans for breaking said toggle, and timing mechanismfor controlling the operation'of thelast' mentioned fluid pressureactuated' 'meansso that'the toggle is broken andthe' pan retractedatpredetermined intervals of time.

9. The combination as set fo'rth'in claim 7 including another fluidpressure actuated' means for breaking said toggle,- andelectromagne'tically controlled valve mechanism-for admitting fluidunder pressure to the means forunoving" the pan in a direction oppositeto-the flow ot the-work to build up the fluid p're'ssureinsaidme'ansrbefore fluid under pressure is 'a dmitted' to -said second Ifluid pressure actuated means-which breaks said toggle.

-10. A conveyor comprising in combination a "pan upon which the workisplaced and along which the work is conveyed,- a cylinder, a -piston insaid cylinder op'eratively connected to said pan, -means for latchingsaid piston in' its for'ward position, valve controlled 1 means foradmitting fluid under pressure into-said cylinder on -i'one side of saidpiston after the pancompletes each forward stroke in the direction thework-is being conveyed, means for releasing saidlat'chingmeans as soonas the fluid in said cylinder reaches a given pressure whereby the fluidunder pressure acts on said piston to move said' pan rapidlyiin adirection opposite to the flowof the work -and --at such speed that thework remains stationary, and means for admitting fluid under arelatively lower pressure into said cylinder on the-opposite side ofsaid piston for moving thepiston and pan forwardly in the directionofflow of the work-at a relatively slower speed to their-startingposition so that the work moves with the-pan.

11. A conveyor comprsing in combination a pan upon which the work isplaced and-along which the Work is conveyed, a cylinder, apiston -insaid cylinder operatively connected toisaid pan, means for latching saidpiston in itsfor- -ward position, valve controlled means for admittingfluid under pressure into said cylinder on one side of said pistonpreparatory to releasing said latching means and moving said pan rapidlyin a direction opposite to the flow of the work, means for admittingfluid under a relatively lower pressure into said cylinder on theopposite side of 'said'pis'ton for moving the piston and pan-forwardly'in thedirection of flow of thework at a relatively slowerspeed to their starting position, and a second cylinder and pistonhaving operative connection with the said latching means; and a secondvalve controlled means for admitting 'fluid under pressure to saidsecond cylinder after fluid under pressure has been admittedto saidfirst mentioned cylinder whereby the latching' means is released.

12. The combination as set forth in claim' 11 wherein the latching meansis a togglelever which when in made position holds said-piston in itsforward position and which when-broken releases the piston so that itcan jerk the' pan rearwardly at a rate of speed sufficient so ithat theinertia of the load overcomes the friction 'between the load' and thepan.

13. A conveyor comprising in combination a pan upon which the work isplaced and along which the work is conveyed, a cylinder; a piston insaid cylinder operatively connected to saidpan, means for latching saidpiston in its forward position, a pipe line for admitting fluid under 6pressure into said cylinder on one side of said piston, a secondcylinder, a piston in -said second "cylinder having an operativeconnection with 7 said latching means, a second pipe line for admittingfluid under pressure to said second cylinder onv one side of said pistonand an electromagnetically controlled valve for each of said pipe linesfor controlling the flow of fluid under'pressure therethrough, anelectrical circuit for-each of said electromagnetically controlledvalves, a pressure controlled switch in the electrical circuit for theelectromagnetically controlled valvefor the second pipe line, saidswitch being-closed when a predetermined pressure is reached in theflrst cylinder whereby whenthe. one electri'cal circuit is -closed theelectromagnetically controlled valve for the first pipe line openstoadmit fluid under pressure to the first cylinder and upon apredetermined rise in pressure in the first cylinder the pressure switchcloses to close the second circuit and open the second valve to admitfluid under pressure to the, second cylinder and thereby release thelatching means whereupon the fluid under pressure in the first cylindermoves the conveyor pan back from under the work at a relatively fastspeed, and means for returning the pan to its initial position at arelatively slow speed and for resetting said latch.

14. A conveyor comprising in combination a pan upon which the work isplaced and along which the work is conveyed, a cylinder, a piston insaid cylinder operatively connected to said pan, means for latching saidpiston in its forward position, a pipe line for admitting fluid underpressure into said cylinder on one side of said piston, a secondcylinder, a piston in said second cylinder having an operativeconnection with said latching means, a second pipe line for admittingfluid under pressure to said second cylinder on one side of said pistonand an eleci,

tromagnetically controlled valve for each of said pipe lines forcontrolling the flow of fluid under pressure therethrough, an electricalcircuit for each of said electromagnetically controlled valves,

a pressure controlled switch in the electrical circuit for theelectromagnetically controlled valve for the second pipe line, saidswitch being closed when a predetermined pressure is reached in thefirst cylinder whereby when the one electrical circuit is closed theelectromagnetically controlled valve for the first pipe line opens toadmit fluid under pressure to the first cylinder and upon apredetermined rise in pressure in the first cylinder the pressure switchcloses to close the second circuit and open the second valve to admitfluid under pressure to the second cylinder and thereby release thelatching means whereupon the fluid under pressure in the first cylindermoves the conveyor pan back from under the work at a relatively fastspeed, a source of fluid under a relatively low pressure connected tosaid cylinders on the opposite sides of said pistons whereby the fluidunder low pressure returns the pistons to their initial position at arelatively slow speed thereby moving the pan slowly in the direction offlow and resetting said latching means.

15. The combination as set forth in claim 14 including a limit switchfor breaking the circuit to the electromagnetically controlled valvesbefore the pan reaches the end of its rearward stroke whereby the fluidunder high pressure is exhausted from the cylinders and the fluid underlow pressure returns the pistons to their starting position.

16. The combination as set forth in claim 14 including a limit switchfor breaking the circuit to the electromagnetically controlled valvesbefore the pan reaches the end of its rearward stroke whereby the fluidunder high pressure is exhausted from the cylinders and the fluid underlow pressure returns the pistons to their start ing position, and atiming switch in the circuit for the electromagnetically controlledvalves arranged to close this circuit at predetermined intervals oftime.

1'7. A conveyor comprising in combination a pan upon which the work isplaced and along which the work is conveyed, a cylinder, a piston insaid cylinder operatively connected to said pan, means for latching saidpiston in its forward position, a pipe line for admitting fluid underpressure into said cylinder on one side of said piston, a secondcylinder, a piston in said second cylinder having an operativeconnection with said latching means, a second pipe line for admittingfluid under pressure to said second cylinder on one side of said pistonand an electromagnetically controlled valve for each of said pipe linesfor controlling the flow of fluid under pressure therethrough, anelectrical circuit for each of said electromagnetically controlledvalves, a pressure controlled switch in the electrical circuit for theelectromagnetically controlled valve for the second pipe line, saidswitch being closed when a predetermined pressure is reached in thefirst cylinder whereby when the one electrica1 circuit is closed theelectromagnetically controlled valve for the first pipe line opens toadmit fluid under pressure to the first cylinder and upon apredetermined rise in pressure in the first cylinder the pressure switchcloses to close the second circuit and open the second valve to admitfluid under pressure to the second cylinder and thereby release thelatching means whereupon the fluid under pressure in the first cylindermoves the conveyor pan back from under the work at a relatively fastspeed, resilient means under a relatively low compression operativelyconnected to said pistons for returning the pistons to their initialposition at a relatively slow speed thereby moving the pan slowly in thedirection of flow and resetting said latching means.

18. A conveyor comprising in combination a pan upon which the work isplaced and along which the work is conveyed, means for moving said panforwardly in the direction which the work is being conveyed at arelatively slow speed so that the work moves with the conveyor, togglemeans for releasably latching said pan in its forward position, a sourceof potential energy, means actuated by said potential energy when thetoggle means is released for moving said pan in the opposite directionat a relatively faster speed sufiicient to jerk the pan from under thework whereby for each cycle of operation comprising a forward andreverse movement of the pan the work is advanced a distance slightlyless than the stroke of the pan, said last mentioned means beingineffective to move the pan in the opposite direction while the pan islatched in its forward position by said toggle means and efleotive tojerk the pan from under the work when the toggle means is released,control means actuated after the pan completes each stroke, and meansfor breaking said toggle means whereby said potential energy is suddenlyreleased and the pan also released for quick rearward movement.

19. A conveyor comprising in combination a pan upon which the work isplaced and along which the work is conveyed, means for moving said panforwardly in the direction which the work is being conveyed at arelatively slow speed so that the work moves with the conveyor, a togglefor releasably latching said pan in its forward position, means in whichfluid pressure is built up after the pan completes each forward strokeand is latched in such position by said toggle, control means actuatedto release said toggle means after said fluid pressure is built upwhereby said fluid pressure is released, means actuated by said fluidpressure as soon as said toggle is released for moving said pan in theopposite direction at a relatively faster speed sufficient to jerk thepan from under the work whereby for each cycle of operation comprising aforward and reverse movement of the pan the work is advanced a distanceslightly less than the stroke of the pan, said last mentioned meansbeing inefiective to move the pan in the opposite direction while thepan is latched in its forward position by said toggle means andeflective to jerk the pan from under the work when the toggle means isreleased.

DONALD C. CAMPION.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file ofthis patent:

Nurnber Number 352,920

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Norton July 20, 1915 Marcus Nov. 16,1915 Tafel Sept. 17, 1940 Page Mar. 14, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS CountryDate Great Britain Jan. 13, 1930 Great Britain June 29, 1933

